An exploration of agricultural education as an effective tool for developing students with special needs

Pirtle, Aspen

Permalink

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/31115 Copy

Description

Title

An exploration of agricultural education as an effective tool for developing students with special needs

Author(s)

Pirtle, Aspen

Issue Date

2012-05-22T00:29:04Z

Director of Research (if dissertation) or Advisor (if thesis)

Anderson, James C., II

Department of Study

Human & Community Development

Discipline

Agricultural Education

Degree Granting Institution

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Degree Name

M.S.

Degree Level

Thesis

Keyword(s)

• inclusive
• secondary agriculture
• students with special needs

Abstract

Abstract There has been an increase in momentum of inclusive education in recent years (Giffing, Warnick, Tarpley, & Williams, 2010). In fact, several reports indicate that nearly one-fourth of secondary agriculture students have specific learning disabilities (Pense, Watson, & Wakefield, 2010). When one considers the ever-evolving rate that special education students are included in the secondary agriculture classroom, there is a continuing need to understand what these students are gaining from their experiences in the program including the learning environment and experiences offered to these students by secondary agriculture program as a whole. Research was conducted through interviews and observations among two rural schools in Illinois in order to explore the perceptions of agriculture instructors, special education aides and students with special needs as to how the agriculture program is serving students with special needs. Interviews with teachers and special education aides are successfully integrating students with learning disabilities into the learning activities of the agriculture program. Furthermore, observations supported these perceptions in that the classrooms are well-equipped to handle students with learning disabilities and provide a stimulating learning environment. The major conclusion was that comprehensive secondary agriculture programs that utilize the classroom, supervised agricultural experience, and the FFA model, provide a positive learning environment for students with special needs.

Graduation Semester

2012-05

Permalink

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/31115

Copyright and License Information

Copyright 2012 Aspen Pirtle

Owning Collections